Despite the advent of the electronic age, the preferred method of reading today is by far to read a text printed on paper, or hard copy, even though electronic versions of the same text are available at lower cost. Indeed, rather than moving to a paperless society as once envisioned, the electronic age has resulted in the use--and waste--of even more paper than before, as word processors and laser printers generate more and more drafts of the same document, and printing information of all kinds from the Internet can be accomplished with a single mouseclick.
The reasons that people prefer to read text in hard copy are varied. Many readers, accustomed to reading the printed page, are uncomfortable with computers. Others believe that computers will never replace the ability to flip through the pages of a book, at a pace selected by the reader. Although one can simulate the process of flipping through a book electronically, screen display limitations and the need for a manual interface with a computer usually make simulated flipping much less satisfactory than actually having the book in hand.
Reading a paper text, however, suffers from numerous limitations and disadvantages. First, the proliferation of paper texts where electronic texts are available has resulted in a serious waste of paper, and constitutes a threat to the environment in terms of loss of trees, as well as loss of resources and pollution attendant the disposal or even recycling of paper.
Second, there is no ability to search a paper text for key words or phrases without looking at every single page--a laborious process that one can never be sure was accomplished successfully. Searching using index entries in paper text can be tedious and frustrating. The reader often loses continuity in reading by having to flip back and forth between the text and the index when moving from one page cited by the index reference to the next such page.
Third, paper can get lost, whereas electronic text can be stored on any of a number of electronic media (with inexpensive backup copies depending on the importance of the document).
Fourth, proliferation of many documents can constitute a threat to confidentiality where confidentiality is important. Access to sensitive electronic texts can be limited only to those with a genuine need.
Fifth, the manual task of reading--including page turning, and holding the text the optimum distance from one's eyes, can often interfere with the smoothness of the reading experience.
Sixth, in a long document read sequentially, there is often a tendency in the reader to lose focus and concentration, and as a result to experience wide fluctuations in reading speed and comprehension. While many readers have heard that "active" reading facilitates comprehension, it is very easy to lapse into periods of inactive or passive reading at great cost in terms of comprehension and speed.
Seventh, often when a reader runs across unfamiliar words or concepts, the reader finds herself turning to secondary sources in order to decode the author's meaning, at considerable loss of time and concentration. Although recent art, such as U.S. Pat. No. 5,359,514 to Manthuruthil, ameliorates this to some extent by providing known synonyms to replace words that exceed a user's reading level, such programs can become a crutch which prevents the user from improving her reading level and actually learning new material.
Eighth, where it is necessary or desirable to take notes, the options available to a hardcopy reader are unsatisfactory. Such a reader typically has the option of writing annotations in margins that may not be big enough to accommodate the annotation, or to take notes on a separate piece of paper that may not be available when the reader requires it.
Ninth, individuals suffering reading or vision disabilities often find it difficult or impossible to read paper texts where the print is too small, or too faint, or where letters are too closely spaced.
While most computer displays have means of searching for key terms or phrases--an invaluable enhancement when reading for research purposes--this enhancement is of little benefit to a reader wishing to read a book, such as a novel, sequentially. In addition, in a large text it is difficult for the reader to discern the context or location within the text of the results of such a search. There is thus a need for a more flexible approach to displaying electronic text that overcomes the disadvantages of paper text as well as the disadvantages of electronic text as it exists today.
Furthermore, the continuing popularity of books and courses on speed reading attests to the fact that many people wish to enhance their reading speed in terms of ability to comprehend more material in a shorter period of time.
The present invention derives from the observation that each individual reader has a unique way of approaching a written text. Each written text in turn provides particular challenges to the reader that depend on the reader's approach. Approaches that readers bring to a text include, but are not limited to, the number of words or characters seen in a given eye fixation, eye movements, use of hands to assist eye movements, propensity for eye fatigue, schema (the preexisting knowledge that the reader brings to the text), level of literacy, level of familiarity with the language or organization of the text, ability to visualize while reading, interest in the material, deadline (external or internal) for completing the reading, purpose of reading (research to answer particular question, pleasure, or general desire to increase store of knowledge), use of music or other background sound (such as a metronome or an occasional beep) to enhance reading pleasure or speed, types of music or background sound preferred for enhancing pleasure or speed of reading a particular text, vision difficulties, and reading disabilities.